Here a couple question about what to do if you have a stomach bug that someone asked on the FAQ page. I want to bring to this to the surface, so those of you who have had this issue can share your experiences.

Anonymous, March 30, 2013:

This week my family had the stomach bug that lasted for days. Myself included. I am now over two months with the hypnosis and have been doing great...up to this point. I tried just eating chicken broth and staying hydrated with water. I just found that I was not getting my energy back. The thought of eating protein made me nauseous. I finally broke down and started to eat some saltines and drank Pedialyte. I quickly got my energy back but sure enough that made those darn Army men come running out. 3 days off (and I would love to say I just ate saltines but I would be lying) and today I am back on and feeling better.

What is done is done and I hope I have not messed up my hypnosis too much. I live far away and do not want to have to travel (or pay!) for a refresher.

Has anyone else faced this? Is there a way to stay on the plan yet be able to get better?

April 10, 2013

I subscribe to a mail list from SparkPeople and I find many of their articles inspirational. With a mission to "Spark millions of People around the world to get healthy and reach new goals every day" - who wouldn't want to hear what they say? This morning's article provided a hundred reasons to work out today.

100 Reasons to Work Out Today; image source SparkPeople

Since we're having such great weather, I thought we could all use this bonus to help us get outside to exercise, so I copied their list below. Do any of these motivate you to get out there today?

100 Reasons to Exercise Now

1. Because it makes you feel confident
2. Because it helps you get stronger
3. Because exercise helps combat depression
4. Because you'll feel proud of yourself
5. Because you have goals you want to reach
6. Because you'll feel bad if you don't
7. Because you want to move forward, not backward
8. Because it burns more calories than not working out
9. Because it improves your heart health
10. Because you want a great butt
11. Because it prevents diabetes
12. Because you want to be a good example to your kids
13. Because you want to feel good in your clothes
14. Because it reduces your risk of cancer
15. Because your body was made to move
16. Because you want to be an athlete
17. Because you want to look better
18. Because it lifts your mood
19. Because you want to stand taller
20. Because it reduces back pain
21. Because it feels good
22. Because it makes you feel accomplished
23. Because you spend most of your day on your butt
24. Because swimsuit season is always coming
25. Because strong is the new skinny
26. Because dieting only works so much
27. Because it strengthens your bones, too
28. Because it helps you lose weight
29. Because it allows you to eat more food
30. Because it's the best way to spend "me" time
31. Because it helps you de-stress
32. Because it's cheaper than therapy
33. Because you want a strong core
34. Because you want to take care for yourself
35. Because you take pride in your body
36. Because it strengthens your legs
37. Because it helps your clothes fit better
38. Because you want to push yourself
39. Because you are capable of more than you ever imagined
40. Because moving your body feels good
41. Because it keeps your mind sharp
42. Because it helps you beat belly bloat
43. Because it helps you sleep better at night
44. Because it gives you energy
45. Because you want to stay healthy as you age
46. Because you want to look younger
47. Because you want toned arms
48. Because it improves your balance
49. Because it burns off last night's dessert
50. Because it boosts your immune system
51. Because sweat is sexy
52. Because you want to live longer
53. Because you want to get better at your game
54. Because you want to catch some one's eye
55. Because exercisers earn more money
56. Because you're more likely to eat better when you exercise
57. Because you want to shave time off your running pace
58. Because you want to breathe easier
59. Because you want to see the scale drop
60. Because exercise improves your sex life
61. Because you are worth it
62. Because being fit makes everything in life better
63. Because you promised yourself that you would
64. Because you deserve a better life
65. Because it'll help you drink more water
66. Because you want to do real push-ups
67. Because it reduces your health care costs
68. Because you'll miss fewer days of work
69. Because you want to create a new future for yourself
70. Because it'll help you like what you see in the mirror
71. Because it makes clothing shopping more fun
72. Because you want to look and feel incredible
73. Because exercising can be fun
74. Because it'll give your skin a glow
75. Because it's a good way to spend time with your friends
76. Because it'll help you prevent the middle-age spread
77. Because it reduces your blood pressure
78. Because you don't want to let yourself go
79. Because you don't want to squeeze into an airplane or roller coaster seat
80. Because it strengthens your spirit
81. Because it's a cheap way to entertain yourself
82. Because you'll be able to reward yourself
83. Because you need a reason to wear those new workout clothes
84. Because you're tired of being tired
85. Because not working out is not going to get you very far
86. Because it's a great way to spend time outside
87. Because you made a commitment to yourself
88. Because you're tired of starting over
89. Because there will always be another wedding, vacation or reunion
90. Because you're not a quitter
91. Because it improves your cholesterol
92. Because it boosts your metabolism
93. Because it prevents age-related muscle loss
94. Because if you can do this, you can do anything
95. Because a fit body is a healthy body
96. Because it beats sitting on the couch
97. Because  everyone has at least 10 minutes to spare
98. Because you want to be stronger than your excuses
99. Because not working out isn't working out for you
100. Because the only workout you ever regret is the one you skip

source: Daily Spark

April 09, 2013

To anyone who has been to one of Julie’s re-freshers lately you know what I am talking about. I am really working hard to let out my ‘inner animal’

Activity has never been one of my finer points in my life, but after hearing Julie explain and use the hamster example I realize, it is time to really start. She isn’t magic and it really is up to me to let this animal out.

So spontaneous walking I have started.

The first day I decided my inner animal was a rabbit, I walked with a friend and we walked for over 45 minutes, up and down hills and fast. OH MY!! I was sore for days. YUK!!

The second day my animal was a turtle, I walked with another friend, up and down hills for 20 minutes, much slower and that was better.

The third day, my animal was a dog, no one to walk with but my grandchildren. So with a 1 year old in a carriage and a 3 year old hanging on we walked to my daughter’s house and back to mine. Didn’t time it, as you can imagine, I had my hands full. When we got back to my house I let the kids play outside. I decided my ‘inner animal’ needed to do some yard work and thus made that animal start raking the yard.

That animal, HOWELED, GROWELED, BARKED, and BIT ME as we raked. I am lazy by nature.

But raked we did, and boy I went to bed very early that night…

Yesterday in church, I obviously couldn't exercise, but I did fidget! I felt like a sleeping dog whose legs run while they sleep, or tails wag while laying down. Wasn't a real sweat breaker, but parts of my body were constantly moving. We are in church for 4 hours with an hour and 1/2 lunch/fellowship break, so I really got in some major fidgeting!!! Basically sitting with my legs crossed (do you remember that post when I crossed them for the first time? Don't laugh at my non scale victory?)

Why don’t I like to exercise, who knows!

Do I know it needs to become a part of my life, YES!!

Will I do it to reach my goal size, I HAVE NO CHOICE!

I am writing this and trying to decide what animal will come out today, even though I feel like a slug, maybe I will be a monkey and get my 3 grandchildren and just have fun with them outside. And while out there let the dog out again and do more raking (YUK) but I know I must move.

Like Theresa’s previous post, what am I willing to do to make this goal size happen!! ANYTHING!!! I WANT IT SO BAD I CAN TASTE IT (ok, so taste it probably isn’t the best term to use but you get my gist!)

Hey, if I can learn to eat vegetables and enjoy most of them, I can learn to move this body!

What animal will you be today? Putting it in that kind of perspective for me makes it a little more fun and some day I may even post on here that I like to exercise. Won’t that be a miracle!!! LOL!!! My former weight watchers leader would pass out if she learns I eat veggies now and am trying to exercise!!!!

Have fun with your journey!!! This is a GREAT way to live and loose weight!!!!!

April 08, 2013

I'm really serious about reaching my goal size this year. I want this really bad, so I'm clearing the way all over the place in my life. What about you? How bad do you want it? What are you willing to do to reach your goal size this year?

For me, reaching my goal size (8) means moving, moving, moving. It also means eating clean, like my friend Linda and my size 6 friends who have been clean all along.

I wasn't aware that I wasn't eating clean. There were gray areas that I wasn't aware of; I was eating that are not on program. As you know, there are no gray areas; foods are either on program or they're not on program. So, I didn't know, doesn't work for me anymore! Now that I know about things I was eating that are off program, I'm done eating them. My eyes are open now. I can see! I can see at last! 

One area I've been cleaning up is my blog recipes. I've been reviewing my recipes and deleting ones that are not on program. Gone is my recipe for Popsicles, which combined half and half with Siggis yogurt. Sigh. You know something is off program when you sigh at the thought of not having it anymore. Last summer I made these a lot. I knew they were trouble, because I craved them, but I was in complete denial.

Until recently, I did not know half and half was not allowed. I was using it in my coffee and in other recipes. No wonder I was holding my weight during the fall! As of a few weeks ago, I officially too half and half off my option list. When I have coffee I froth my milk and if I drink it out, I pay the extra to have the milk frothed. I haven't had iced coffee, but when I do, it's with milk or not at all.

Back in Dec. I was informed half and half was not allowed, but I was not willing to give it up yet. If I want to reach my goal, I must give it up. My guess is I was able to get away with this for so long because of how heavy I was. Half and half is no longer an option.

Cheese is a condiment. Not only was I eating cheese with meat bite for bite, which I learned a long time ago is not appropriate, but I had recipes with way too much cheese in them. Gone from this blog are most recipes with cheese. Providing I keep the amount of cheese to a tiny bit and the veggie ratio low, my meat pizza recipe is safe. I'll buy only enough cheese to top off the pizza, so I don't have any extra cheese in the house. Recently I made meat pizza with pesto sauce instead of tomato sauce and I think this is a good idea, as it gives the pizza a lot more flavor and I don't add too many veggies with the pesto. (BTW, my pesto is just basil and oil - no nuts.)






What are you willing to sacrifice to reach your goal size? Have you too been in denial and eating foods off program?  Did you think you could get away with it and all the while wonder why you're at a plateau for so long?

Give it up! Let go of your free will and get back in the river! Join me and reach your goal size this year!

April 07, 2013

There's nothing better than feeling good in a pair of blue jeans. Well, there probably is, but just for today, feeling good comes in a pair of blue jeans. Tomorrow, I'll aim for bigger goals.

The jeans I bought in January are getting baggy in the thighs and butt - woohoo!  And I'm finally wearing the jeans I bought in Dec. Until this week, the only way I could zip the Dec. jeans all the way up was to lay on my bed and hold my breath; sitting down wasn't an option. Now, they look great and I feel fabulous wearing them.

I went to Marshalls last Saturday hoping to find something in a smaller size, but I didn't try anything on because I didn't see anything exciting on the racks. I think TJ Max has better options. I'm still a bit gun shy when it comes trying clothes on; I'm afraid they're still not going to fit. I should probably stick with Macey's and JCP until I'm in a size that I can find easier. Those two stores are more consistent with sizes. I understand TJ & Marshalls tend to run small, which is fine if you're small enough that size doesn't matter. I'm not there yet.

I know: size really does matter. My size 6 and size 8 friends, and I have a lot of friends in 6's and 8's these days, pointed this out to me recently. I thought that when you're a smaller size, you have so many more clothing options. It turns out this isn't true. Who knew? I certainly didn't!

BTW, those jeans that I felt frumpy in two weeks ago - I wore them again last week and this time I felt good in them. Frumpy is sometimes all in our head - or all in my head at least!

Victory comes when we least expect it. We feel as if we've been stuck at the same size one day and the very next day: we drop another size. Sometimes we drop weight and we just can't see it. Our rings are a little loser. Our thighs align with the rest of our body. Our blue jeans become baggy. Our tops accent in the right places instead of clinging in horrible ways. Frumpy turns to DAM!

How's your journey coming along? Anybody else out there dropping weight?

April 06, 2013

What can you do right now to to feel better right now? Watch this Louise Hay Tapping. Tap shoes are not required, because it's not about dancing. Watch the video and "tap" along at the end and see what you think about this.

Tapping is a form of self-hypnosis and can be very powerful. I first learned about tapping by another name Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). It's a great tool to reduce pain and stress. 

Note: I often use the phrase "tap, tap, tap" on this blog. When I write "tap, tap, tap" I'm referencing Julie's concept to "push away" food cravings.

April 05, 2013

Bacon Deviled Eggs - best ever deviled eggs!

Ingredients

• 12 large eggs
• 3 slices bacon
• 2 TBSP melted butter (if needed)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 heaping TBSP chopped scallions, plus more for garnish
•  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place eggs in a large sauce pan; add water to cover by 1".  
2. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from heat.  
3. Let sit for 10 minutes.  
4. Drain.  
5. Transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water and let cool completely, about 10 minutes; peel.
6. Halve lengthwise and remove yolks.
7. Coarsely chop bacon.  
8. Cook in a medium skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp. 
9.  Transfer bacon to paper towels.  
10. Strain drippings through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl.  
11. Add melted butter if needed to measure 2 TBSP.
12. Finely mash reserved yolks, bacon fat (and/or butter), mayonnaise, mustard, and chopped scallions in a medium bowl.  
13. Season with salt and pepper.  
14. Transfer to a large resealable freezer bag; cut 1/2" off one corner.  
15. Pipe into the whites; garnish with scallions and bacon.

This recipe was served at the pot luck on 2/2/13.

Be sure to cut back on your fats when you eat this.

April 04, 2013

It's time to take my weight loss journey in a new direction. Time to move beyond focusing on my weight loss 24/7. Time to find a new focus. Time to bring something new into my life. Time to find my true north.

image source

I've been on this weight loss journey for over two years and I no longer need to focus all my energies on losing weight. Yes, I have to think about what I'm going to eat, but I don't dwell on it for very long. I simply buy groceries for a few meals every few days. I no longer stock up on foods. No bags of crunchy or salty stuff. No cartons of creamy stuff to store in my freezer. I buy fresh and I buy often. Food choices are programmed into my brain, so I can get in and out of the store pretty fast.

Not focusing on my weight loss also means I no longer spend time or energy on promises to start a diet tomorrow or to begin an exercise program tomorrow. This isn't to say I have my exercise routine down, because I don't. It means I know what to do to help keep my body feeling good and when I slack off, so does my mood. Just like the foods we eat, I know mixing up my exercise routine is a good plan too.

I'm feeling good about my core programming being in place, so I've been looking at enhancing my life in other ways. If you've been wondering what's up with all the new age videos I've been posting and where are all my stories about success and challenges in my weight loss journey: it's a plot for a new direction in my life...

Finding my true north sounds exciting, but will take some time. I'm looking at things in my life I no longer need, that I can sell, give away, or donate, to open up space in my life for new things. Not new materialistic things, but new opportunities. Opportunities I have yet to imagine, but given the time and space, I'll see them.

Meanwhile, as I look for my compass among my household treasures, I'm exploring the spiritual side of life. Along the way I have found inspirational videos, meditations, and books. I sometimes get so excited about the videos that I post them to this blog without thinking how they may appear to my readers. I can change this. I can provide context about how they're relevant in my life instead of just posting them without much of an explanation.

Today's story is about reflection and reading. . .

Every book I purchased in the past few years has sat unread in a pile with other forgotten books next to my home desk and my bed. My pattern has been: go into Barnes and Noble, grab a handful of books, read a few chapters in each book, feel inspired, and then put the books back on the shelves. I know if I take them home, I'm never going to read them. I've been reflecting on this and thinking about why it is that I've fallen into this pattern. I can change this too. Hey, if I can drop 6-7 sizes, I can do anything!

I'm really enjoying the book "Be the Miracle, 50 lessons for Making the Impossible Possible" by Regina Brett. It's such an uplifting book of positive stories; I'm all about giving my mind positive reinforcement these days. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for the same. My promise to myself is to read at lease one story a day, which is about 6 pages. Imagine starting each day with a positive story!

While at the bookstore, I read a good chunk of "Take Charge of Your Mind" by John Selby. I didn't buy the book, but there were incredible quotes in there that still haunt me. I just went to Amazon and for less than $6.00 with shipping, the book will be here by the end of the week.

Are any of you reading books of inspiration or listening to online videos that you find helpful on your journey?

April 01, 2013